The two of them didn't take a carriage to the Imperial Palace this time. They appeared outside the palace gates in an instant.
After being checked and granted entry, they flashed again.
They appeared outside the Imperial Study.
The moment the two of them appeared, Ji Ruxue's voice came from inside the Imperial Study.
"Come in."
With permission granted, neither of them lingered. They pushed open the door and walked in.
The first thing Mo Yunxuan saw was Ji Ruxue diligently reviewing memorials. She seemed quite busy.
He didn't disturb her, but he didn't feel constrained either.
He vaguely remembered the court session a week ago.
Back then, he'd stood before Ji Ruxue like a lackey, having to consider the Empress's wishes before doing anything.
He'd worried that one wrong move might displease the Empress, who could erase him with a casual gesture.
But now, a week later, those worries were gone.
He even felt that not having blurted out, "He can be replaced!" already made him a model loyal subject.
That was the confidence his strength had given him.
Mo Yunxuan glanced at Ji Ruxue, who was completely absorbed in her work.
She hadn't arranged a seat for him, nor did she seem inclined to acknowledge him.
It was as if she'd simply forgotten he was there.
But when he'd arrived, Ji Ruxue had immediately told him to come in. She'd clearly been waiting for him.
How could she have left him standing there, ignoring him entirely, just because she was busy with state affairs?
Mo Yunxuan might not have been good at reading people, but in his previous life he'd read plenty of novels with similar scenes.
As the saying went, a first drumbeat stirred the spirit, the second weakened it, and the third exhausted it.
Ji Ruxue was obviously trying to wear down his confidence and gain the upper hand in their upcoming negotiations.
Unfortunately, Mo Yunxuan was no longer the obedient little darling he'd been a week ago, someone anyone could knead and shape.
He had the backing of his Body Integration Realm Early Stage cultivation, along with two Body Integration Realm soldiers, thirty Void Refinement Realm soldiers, and 168 Spirit Transformation soldiers.
He wasn't afraid of Ji Ruxue at all. If things came to it, they could simply part ways.
If Ji Ruxue treated him poorly, he could turn the Great Gan Imperial Nest upside down, and there'd be nothing she could do about it!
So there was no way he'd stand there like a fool, waiting.
He glanced around and, sure enough, spotted Qing Li in a corner.
When he looked her way, Qing Li was looking at him too. Their gazes met in midair.
Mo Yunxuan waved her over.
But Qing Li glanced at Ji Ruxue at the desk, then gently shook her head.
Mo Yunxuan knew she was considering Ji Ruxue's feelings and carrying out her duty.
But he didn't care about any of that. He thought to himself:
Since you dared to use underhanded tactics on me, Ji Ruxue, and try to mess with my head, surely I can act a little more freely, right?
Then, striding with utter disregard for anyone else, he went straight to Qing Li and took her little hand.
Frightened, Qing Li kept sneaking glances at Ji Ruxue. She sent him a timid voice transmission:
"Hurry back. This... isn't the right time."
Seeing her adorable expression, Mo Yunxuan waved his hand and took a chair from his storage ring.
He pulled Qing Li onto his lap and sat down at his leisure.
Just as Mo Yunxuan had expected, Ji Ruxue had only wanted to knock him down a peg.
But it hadn't been her idea.
It had come from a eunuch who'd recently been assigned to serve her in the Imperial Palace.
As the Great Gan Emperor, Ji Ruxue possessed peerless cultivation at the Body Integration Realm Early Stage.
Most of the time, she faced nothing but weaklings. The sheer majesty of her position was enough to crush her enemies into submission.
She rarely resorted to such sneaky tricks.
But now she'd encountered an opponent on her own level, and the same methods weren't as effective.
She was absolutely confident she could take the initiative, but if there was an easier way, why not use it?
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Yet things didn't seem to be unfolding as she'd expected.
In her imagination, Mo Yunxuan should at least have been standing there in anxious trepidation, if not breaking into a cold sweat!
So what was this bastard doing, flirting with her Personal Sword Attendant in her Imperial Study?
If he dared to flirt with her Personal Sword Attendant today,
would he dare climb into her Dragon Bed tomorrow?
"Ahem. Duke of Wei, this is My Imperial Study. Is such behavior not beneath your station?"
Seeing that Ji Ruxue had finally reacted, Mo Yunxuan let Qing Li go.
But he clearly thought little of what she'd said.
"Your Majesty, status isn't granted by others. It's something you fight for. I hold the title of Duke of Wei thanks to the painstaking efforts of the previous Duke of Wei."
"I've always believed that dignity rests at the edge of the sword, and truth lies within the range of a crossbow."
"If anyone questions me, I'll give them a chance. If they can defeat the Wei State Duke Mansion, I'll admit that I've acted beneath my station."
"But apparently, even among the Great Gan Imperial Family, there are no more than a handful who could do that."
After hearing Mo Yunxuan, Ji Ruxue rolled her eyes inwardly.
Damn! I already knew Mo Yunxuan was arrogant from the Imperial Court session a week ago, but I didn't expect him to be even worse today.
What a guy. He's even offering people a chance to challenge him.
But why not fight one-on-one? What kind of challenge is it to take on the entire Wei State Duke Mansion?
Realizing that Mo Yunxuan wouldn't respond to force, Ji Ruxue gave up on trying to meet him head-on.
Instead, she played on their old ties. Her expression gradually softened, and a flicker of nostalgia passed through her eyes.
"Tell me, Duke of Wei, do you still remember how we nearly became engaged back then?"
Mo Yunxuan knew exactly what that engagement had been about.
In Lin Fan's Virtual Script, quite a bit had naturally been written about Jun Tianxiao, the villain.
It mentioned that Ji Ruxue had developed special feelings for Jun Tianxiao because he'd been loyal to her since childhood.
Even when other princes bullied him, he'd never said a single bad word about her.
Her feelings for him had been something between sisterly affection and romantic love.
But Jun Tianxiao had been a hopeless simp, and Ji Ruxue wasn't the one he was pining after.
So he and Ji Ruxue had hardly ever had the chance to get close.
The Former Emperor had wanted her to marry Mo Yunxuan's predecessor, to preserve the relationship between the Wei State Duke Mansion and the Imperial Family.
But Ji Ruxue, because of her special feelings for Jun Tianxiao, had flatly refused. Her determination had even shocked the Former Emperor.
In the end, the matter had been dropped. Fortunately, it had remained a secret known only to the Old Duke of Wei, the Former Emperor, and two others.
If it had gotten out, the Wei State Duke Mansion and the Imperial Family would have fallen out long ago.
Now that Ji Ruxue was bringing it up to play on his feelings, Mo Yunxuan found it rather amusing.
He leaned back in his chair, rested his arms on the armrests, and looked Ji Ruxue up and down with disdain.
"Oh? Does Your Majesty regret it too? I have no reservations."
"If Your Majesty wishes, I can stay in the Imperial Harem and attend you in bed tonight."
"Actually, I'd like to find out what the Dragon Body feels like."
Ji Ruxue watched the brazen look in Mo Yunxuan's eyes and felt her irritation rise.
Damn you, Mo Yunxuan!
Why won't you respond to either force or kindness?
You got stronger, and now you think you can spread your wings, is that it?
You want to attend me in bed? Just you wait—I'll drain you dry!
So I rejected your engagement back then!
And you're still holding a grudge? Do you really have to be so petty?
And what's with that look in your eyes?
Is my figure really that bad?
Are you blind?
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